Episode 483: My team hated me from day one and should I stack PTO before my resignation

Episode 483: My team hated me from day one and should I stack PTO before my resignation

Author: Jamison Dance and Dave Smith October 20, 2025 Duration: 38:22

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

  1. How would you handle a situation where a team forms a negative opinion about you from day one — without any clear reason and without ever giving you a real chance to prove yourself?

    Even when you contribute technically, your suggestions are ignored… until someone else repeats the same thing and suddenly it’s considered valid.

    Is it possible to stay in that kind of environment without becoming bitter or burned out?

    Can you keep contributing professionally — or is it healthier to just walk away?

  2. You guys are awesome. Jamison, I interviewed with you and it was lots of fun and productive. Which is really rad.

    Now… I just landed a 12-month contract in big tech role. It’s perfectly aligned with my long-term career goals. My current fintech FTE is perfectly opposed to my long-term career goals.

    The question — how unethical / despicable would it be to start one week of PTO at my FTE on the same day as Day One at my contract role so that I can onboard without distractions and then put in my resignation upon returning to my FTE? What about two, three, or four weeks of PTO?

    Also… are two-week notices still the default still in 2025?

    Also also… I promise I’m not AI — I’ve been using em dashes since the 20th century.


The weekly advice Soft Skills Engineering podcast, hosted by Jamison Dance and Dave Smith, operates on a simple but profound premise: writing excellent code is only one part of a successful career. The real challenges-and opportunities-often lie in everything else. This is a show dedicated entirely to the human side of software development. Each episode tackles the messy, complicated, and frequently unspoken questions that developers face daily. You’ll hear thoughtful discussions and practical advice on navigating office politics, having difficult conversations with managers, negotiating salaries, managing time and energy, collaborating effectively on a team, and building a sustainable, long-term career without burning out. It’s the crucial curriculum that most computer science degrees never cover. Jamison and Dave bring a blend of experience, empathy, and humor to these topics, offering perspectives that are both actionable and relatable. For anyone who has ever wondered how to handle a toxic coworker, get promoted, or simply find more fulfillment in their work, this podcast provides a much-needed forum. It’s a consistent source of guidance for the parts of the job that don’t involve a compiler, reminding listeners that their growth as a professional is inextricably linked to their growth as a communicator, a colleague, and a person. Tune in for honest conversations that go beyond the technical screen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Soft Skills Engineering
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